LUCKNOW, May 16 : An assistant professor at the University of Lucknow was arrested after he allegedly made “objectionable” phone calls to a female student and claimed to have leaked examination papers, officials said on Saturday.
Paramjeet Singh, a 40-year-old assistant professor in the Zoology Department, allegedly called a BSc final-year student on the nights of May 14-15 and “pressured” her to meet him before the examination, police said.
In purported audio clips that went viral on social media on Friday, the accused is allegedly heard telling the student, “Darling, your paper has been leaked. Come from your home before the exam, and we will give you the paper here.”
Singh, who has been serving as an assistant professor since June 2022, had earlier denied the allegations, claiming he was falsely implicated due to “internal politics” within the university and among students.
Speaking to PTI over the phone before the police action on Friday, Singh said, “I completely reject these allegations. I am being targeted and trapped in this matter because of the internal politics of the university.”
After disconnecting the call, the student could reportedly be heard saying that she did not want the paper and alleging that the professor was trying to harass her again.
The university administration initiated an inquiry and filed a complaint at the Hasanganj police station. Based on this, the police registered an FIR and arrested the accused from the university campus late at night.
The development comes after the university announced a probe and adopted what it described as a “zero tolerance” approach in the matter.
In a press statement issued on Saturday, the university said the Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) had completed its inquiry after considering the facts presented by both sides.
According to the university, the inquiry report will be placed before an emergency meeting of the Executive Council on Monday. Further action will be taken on this basis.
University spokesperson Prof Mukul Srivastava said strict action would be taken if the allegations were found to be true.
Zoology Department head Prof Amita Kannaujia said the audio clip had come to her notice and the voice appeared to be that of the accused.
Chief Proctor Prof Rakesh Dwivedi said the examination controller had filed the FIR and that the ICC had also begun an inquiry into the matter.
In the complaint to the police, the examination controller alleged that three audio recordings of “objectionable” conversations between the assistant professor and the student had been received and described the matter as a serious breach of examination confidentiality and the student’s dignity.
A pen drive containing the recordings was also submitted with the complaint.
Hasanganj Station House Officer Chitwan Kumar said an FIR had been registered under relevant sections of the Uttar Pradesh Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Ordinance, 2024, along with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Police are also investigating whether the accused leaked exam papers, as he claims in the video, the SHO said.
Police and university officials said preliminary findings suggested the audio clips were linked to the accused professor. (PTI)
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